Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 9, 2010 | VA | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42) |
| March 4, 2010 | IN | HB 1065 | Authorizing Firearms at Workplace | Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 20) |
| March 4, 2010 | IN | HB 1065 | Authorizing Firearms at Workplace | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| March 3, 2010 | WY | SF 20 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| March 2, 2010 | NY | A 5710 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
| March 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1201 | Requiring Police to Inform Citizens of Right to Refuse Searches | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| March 1, 2010 | ID | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
| Feb. 25, 2010 | KS | HB 2221 | Ban on Smoking in Certain Public Places | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 54) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | SC | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| Feb. 23, 2010 | IA | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| Feb. 18, 2010 | NM | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | HB 1590 | Repealing Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (210 - 109) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | CACR 28 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (201 - 135) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | SD | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | WY | HB 68 | Repealing Campaign Finance Restrictions | Bill Failed - House (36 - 22) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | KY | HB 70 | Voting Rights For Certain Felons | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | VA | HB 53 | Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation | Bill Passed - House (88 - 9) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | IA | HJR 6 | Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | NM | HB 10 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 4, 2010 | MA | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
| Feb. 4, 2010 | GA | SB 235 | Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 2) |
| Feb. 4, 2010 | KY | HB 43 | Ban on Texting and Underage Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| Feb. 2, 2010 | IN | HB 1131 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (73 - 26) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | WI | SB 415 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | IN | SJR 13 | Defining Marriage as Being Between One Man and One Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| Jan. 27, 2010 | VA | SB 9 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Jan. 25, 2010 | KY | SB 3 | Omnibus Constitutional Amendment | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0) |
| Jan. 22, 2010 | HI | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| Jan. 7, 2010 | NJ | S 1967 | Legalizing Same Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/09 | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42) |
| 3/04 | HB 1065 | Authorizing Firearms at Workplace | Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 20) |
| 3/04 | HB 1065 | Authorizing Firearms at Workplace | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| 3/03 | SF 20 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| 3/02 | A 5710 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
| 3/01 | HB 1201 | Requiring Police to Inform Citizens of Right to Refuse Searches | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| 3/01 | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
| 2/25 | HB 2221 | Ban on Smoking in Certain Public Places | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 54) |
| 2/24 | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| 2/23 | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| 2/18 | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| 2/17 | HB 1590 | Repealing Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (210 - 109) |
| 2/17 | CACR 28 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (201 - 135) |
| 2/17 | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| 2/12 | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4) |
| 2/10 | HB 68 | Repealing Campaign Finance Restrictions | Bill Failed - House (36 - 22) |
| 2/10 | HB 70 | Voting Rights For Certain Felons | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| 2/10 | HB 53 | Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation | Bill Passed - House (88 - 9) |
| 2/09 | HJR 6 | Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54) |
| 2/09 | HB 10 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| 2/08 | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 2/04 | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
| 2/04 | SB 235 | Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 2) |
| 2/04 | HB 43 | Ban on Texting and Underage Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| 2/02 | HB 1131 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (73 - 26) |
| 1/28 | SB 415 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| 1/28 | SJR 13 | Defining Marriage as Being Between One Man and One Woman | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 1/27 | SB 9 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 1/25 | SB 3 | Omnibus Constitutional Amendment | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0) |
| 1/22 | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 1/07 | S 1967 | Legalizing Same Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |